God's Mercy is Boundless

For us to live should be Christ.

Reflection on Today’s Readings, 25th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year A, September 24th, 2023
Texts: Isaiah 55:6-9; Psalm 145:2-3,8-9,17-18; Philippians 1:20-24.27; Matthew 20:1-16

There are two opinions as to when Isaiah wrote today’s first reading. An opinion favours when Babylonian exile was about to end. The second opinion favours after the return from the exile. Whichever was the case, it is clear that the people were not sure of God’s forgiveness of their sins. They could not believe that God would forgive them their sins.

However, Isaiah assured them of God’s mercy. At the time God had moved King Cyprus to sponsor their return and the building of Jerusalem (Ezra 1:1-5). Isaiah must have seen this as sign of God’s favour and readiness to show mercy. It is sign that time of God’s anger has passed; it is now time to forgive. He put it thus: "Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.”

God does not think like human nor His ways like human

Isaiah told them that it was human to think the way they were doing. However, he noted that God does not think like human nor His ways like human. In his words: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” This reminds us not reduce God to human. We should not relate with base on what we feel but what our faith says.

Isaiah reminds us that there is time for everything. There is time for us to repent of evil and return to the Lord. As long as we are alive we will find the Lord; He is near to hear our call. The time that we are alive now is the time to forsake our wicked ways and our unrighteous thoughts. Just like St. Paul to be alive in the flesh should be fruitful labour for us. For us to live should be Christ. Once the time is over there is no room for repentance. In the words of St. Paul: “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If it is to be life in the flesh, that means fruitful labour for me.”

We are living in the time of Christ

We are also living in the age of God’s grace and mercy. We are living in the time of Christ through whom we receive grace upon grace. St. Paul says, “For he says, ‘At an acceptable time I have listened to you, and on a day of salvation I have helped you.’ See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation!” (2Cor. 6:1-2). God has come to our help by sending His Son to die for our sins. It is now time of grace and mercy, which are the fruits of Christ’s death and resurrection.

We learn from Jesus, today, that as long as there is time God’s grace and mercy abound. God’s grace is never over until the twelve hour, the hour of our death, is over. God’s grace abounds from the first hour till eleventh hour. We should never give up at any time of the day. As long as we live we should seek the Lord, for He can be found. We should call on Him, for He will hear us. Hence, in today’s Psalm we read, “The Lord is close to all who call him, who call on him in truth.”